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Take a Powerful Pose

We speak with body language all the time. Body language can reveal
how we're feeling, even when we don't want to share our thoughts.
Researchers have learned that the link between brain and body language
runs both ways. That is, your body posture can change the levels
of chemicals, including cortisol and testosterone, in the brain.
Changing your body language can literally change the way you think.

In her TED
Talk from 2012, social psychologist Amy Cuddy describes tests she
and her collaborator Dana Carney devised to understand this phenomenon.
They developed several high- and low-power poses, both standing and
sitting, for test subjects to assume for two minutes. They measured
their testosterone and cortisol levels before and after posing.

A seated power pose

Subjects who had taken high-power poses measured higher
levels of testosterone (a hormone linked to dominance) and lower levels
of cortisol (a hormone linked to stress). The opposite was true
for subjects who had taken low-power poses: lower testosterone and
higher cortisol.

So before you go into a meeting or a presentation or a classroom,
find a private spot and lift your chin. Put your hands on your hips;
take up more space. Pose like Wonder Woman or Superman or even Buzz
Lightyear. There are no special words to repeat. Two minutes can help
you communicate more persuasively and effectively.

Nathan Swartzendruber, SWON Technology Educator

Get a body
language boost at SWON's Staff Training Symposium

While a two-minute power pose can give you a boost, using positive
body language in other ways can have a lasting impact. Improving your
body posture can project confidence and improve your mood. An becoming a
better interpreter of body language can improve your customer service
interactions.

Learn how to put these ideas to work at SWON's Staff Training
Symposium, with Holly Klingler's keynote talk. Holly holds a
certification in nonverbal analysis/body language and has performed
trainings on general body language, safety and conflict management,
public relations, interviewing, and more.

Level-Up
Lab: Give your flyers and newsletters a Publisher boost

A good design gives your message a huge boost, whether you're making a
flyer for the wall or a newsletter to post online as a PDF. In this Lab
with Nathan, you'll learn some beginner-basics of design that will help
your documents get their message across. Then you'll learn to
use some essential (and rather hidden) tools in Publisher to speed up
your work.

Bring your own files, print-outs, or work in progress! Nathan will
help set up your file and offer design tips on request. Join us at SWON
April 15th for the Publisher
Level-Up Lab.

ALAO 2015
Conference proposal deadline extended to 4/24

ALAO is extending the deadline for the call for proposals, for both
break-out session presentations and poster sessions, for its annual
conference this fall. Their website has presentation
guidelines available, which include useful tips and examples. And
don't forget to save the date for the 2015 ALAO Annual Conference,
November 20th.

ACRL Framework program
registration

Learn about the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher
Education from Craig Gibson, co-chair of the ACRL task force that
was charged with writing it, at this April 20 program. That's just
around the corner, so please register now
to reserve your seat.